Lifestyle
The Story of Oyotunji: A Yoruba Nation in America
The transatlantic slave trade scattered millions of Africans across the Americas, many of whom carried their cultural and religious heritage with them into bondage. Among these groups were the Yoruba people, who preserved and passed down their language, traditions, and spiritual practices through generations—even in foreign lands where such identities were systematically suppressed.
One of the most remarkable legacies of this cultural preservation is Oyotunji African Village, located near Sheldon, in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Oyotunji, meaning “Oyo returns” or “Oyo resurrects”, is considered North America’s oldest authentic African village. The community was founded in 1970 by His Royal Highness Oba (King) Waja, Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, a Black American who sought to revive Yoruba culture and spiritual practices in the diaspora.
The Founder: Oba Adefunmi I
Born Walter Eugene King on October 5, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan, USA, Oba Adefunmi was raised in an environment that encouraged cultural exploration. After graduating from Cass Technical High School, he joined the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe, which led to exposure to African and Caribbean spiritual traditions. His travels to Haiti deepened his knowledge and interest in Yoruba spirituality.
In 1959, he became the first African-American to be fully initiated into the Orisha-Vodun African priesthood by Afro-Cuban priests in Matanzas, Cuba. Following this initiation, Adefunmi founded the Sango Temple in Harlem, New York, which later became the Yoruba Temple. He also incorporated the African Theological Arch Ministry in 1960 to promote Yoruba religious practices.
The Founding of Oyotunji Village
In 1970, Adefunmi established Oyotunji African Village, laying the foundation for a community rooted in traditional Yoruba customs, governance, and spiritual systems. The village spans 27 acres and was structured based on the sociopolitical and religious traditions of the Yoruba and Dahomey tribes of West Africa. The aim was to build an autonomous African-centered society within the U.S., free from Western cultural domination.
To deepen his cultural legitimacy and religious authority, Adefunmi traveled to Abeokuta, Nigeria, in 1972, where he was initiated into the Ifa priesthood by the Oluwo of Ijeun. Later that same year, he was crowned Alase (Oba or King) of the Yoruba of North America at Oyotunji.
Leadership Legacy
Oba Adefunmi I led Oyotunji until his passing on February 10, 2005. Since then, leadership has been passed on to his son, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II, who now reigns as the Oloyotunji of Oyotunji. Under his leadership, the village continues to serve as a hub for African spiritual revival and cultural education in the diaspora.
Significance
Oyotunji stands as a powerful symbol of cultural resilience and identity preservation. It is more than just a geographical space—it is a statement of cultural autonomy, spiritual revival, and reconnection with African roots. Today, Oyotunji remains a living embodiment of Yoruba heritage in the heart of America.
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The Awzaw (Ozo) title, one of the highest and most sacred honours among the Igbo, was traditionally divided into two stages: Awzaw-Unaw (conferred first by one’s extended family or “house”) and Nukwu Awzaw (full investiture recognized across the town). It was the most expensive of all titles, with total costs often exceeding £120—a significant sum in those days. Roughly two-thirds of the cost had to be paid in cash, and the rest in livestock, spirits, and other ceremonial items.
Initial payments were made to members of the candidate’s kindred (umunna), followed by larger sums to the Awzaw Chiefs of the local quarter, and then to the rest of the town’s titleholders. The festivities included traditional music, dancers, and ritual displays. A horse—regardless of its condition—had to be slaughtered by the aspirant himself as a symbolic act, earning him the honorary title Otibwu-Anyinya (“he who has killed a horse”), a feat made rare and prestigious by the scarcity of horses due to the tsetse fly.
Following the rite, the new chief entered a strict period of seclusion lasting two months. He was forbidden from staying in his own compound or seeing anyone outside his immediate family. A temporary shelter was built for him, and he was to be covered in white chalk throughout. He also had to remain with only his first wife during this period.
When he finally emerged, the chief paraded through town accompanied by the ogenne, a long, deep-toned iron bell used to announce his presence. He would publicly embrace his first wife and eldest son in a symbolic gesture of reentry into society.
The regalia of an Awzaw Chief included a spear with a twisted iron crown, red camwood-stained ankle cords, an ivory horn, and a special stool reserved for titleholders. Benefits were considerable: freedom from all manual labor, immunity from physical assault by other natives, judicial authority, and rights over domestic and communal disputes. Depending on his ritual sacrifice, he was saluted either as Obwu-Efi (“cow killer”) or Otibwu-Anyinya (“horse killer”). He also received a share of all entrance and administrative fees paid into the order’s treasury.
Note: The famous Igbo Ukwu altar stand reflects the sacred aesthetics and artistic heritage surrounding such elite traditions. (Source: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art).
Source Kehinde Thompson
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This rare photograph captures a historic moment in 1925, when Edward, the Prince of Wales—the future King Edward VIII—visited Kano during his royal tour of British colonies in West Africa. In this scene, he is seen meeting the Emir of Kano, one of the most prominent traditional rulers in Northern Nigeria at the time.
The Prince’s visit to Kano was more than ceremonial; it was a calculated gesture of diplomacy, underscoring the British Crown’s ties to its colonial territories and the significance of Northern Nigeria within the British Empire. Kano, known for its centuries-old Islamic emirate, was a hub of commerce, scholarship, and governance in the region.
The meeting symbolized the colonial policy of indirect rule, in which British administrators governed through powerful local monarchs like the Emir. It also served to reinforce British influence by publicly acknowledging and respecting indigenous leadership structures.
Edward would later ascend the throne in 1936 as King Edward VIII, but his reign lasted less than a year. He famously abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée—a decision that shocked Britain and led to a constitutional crisis. After his abdication, his brother became King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth II. Edward was subsequently titled Duke of Windsor and lived much of his life in exile.
This photograph, therefore, is not just a snapshot of colonial-era diplomacy—it also foreshadows the complex legacy of a British monarch whose personal choices changed the course of royal history, all while standing beside a Nigerian ruler whose authority remained rooted in centuries-old tradition.
Source Jaafar Jaafar
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A Royal Ride Through Nigeria: The Prince of Wales’ 1925 Visit
In preparation for the historic 1925 visit of the Prince of Wales—the future King Edward VIII—to Nigeria, a specially commissioned vehicle was shipped ahead to serve the royal tour. The car, a custom-built 25–30 horsepower Crossley touring model, reflected the grandeur of the occasion.
Painted in striking austral red and upholstered with grey antique leather, the seven-seater vehicle was fitted with refined features of the era, including Moonbeam headlamps, an Auster rear screen, a windscreen wiper, an eight-day clock, and two spare wheels—all tailored for both function and style on colonial roads.
To mark its royal purpose, the car bore the Prince of Wales’ feathers in metal on both the front and rear. A specially mounted metal flag mast on the radiator cap flew the Royal Arms, signifying the official presence of the British Crown.
The Prince’s tour of Nigeria formed part of a broader Commonwealth itinerary, reinforcing the British monarchy’s presence in its West African colonies. This car not only transported a royal figure—it carried a symbol of imperial authority across a land rich in tradition, leadership, and cultural heritage.
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